English
labyrinth
Labyrinth comes from Latin labyrinthus ‘a building with many winding passages, a…’, and goes back to Ancient Greek λᾰβύρῐνθος ‘a maze’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλᾰβύρῐνθοςlăbúrĭnthos‘a maze’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElabyrinthus‘a building with many winding passages, a labyrinth’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500laberynt
- Englishearliest quotation 1837labyrinth
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλᾰβύρῐνθοςlăbúrĭnthos‘a maze’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElabyrinthus‘a building with many winding passages, a labyrinth’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500laberynt
- Englishearliest quotation 1837labyrinth
Earliest quotation: 1837, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Ethel Churchill: Or: “Mrs. Churchill liked the interminable labyrinths of the Cyrus…”
Every English word from Ancient Greek λᾰβύρῐνθος
Today it means
noun A complicated irregular network of passages or paths, especially underground or covered, in which it is difficult to find one's way.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek λᾰβύρῐνθος / labyrinth